Weatherproof lamp holders for fluorescent lamps



Oct. 24, 1961 G. c. LENNOX 3,005,971

WEATHERPROOF LAMP HOLDERS FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed Dec. 10, 1957 Fig. I. Fig. 2.

Fig. 3.

WITNESSES: G |N\E til-TOR OI e ennox ATTORNEY United States Patent HGLDERS FOR :ELUGRESCENT LAMPS George .Lennox, :Soutlxh y, 01m a gnor o Th :B yan Ele t i Compa y, Br d eport, end, a ca -P i efiono Conne ticu .Ei ed De 0, v.1 57, Sen No. .1.8 2 .6 Cla m ,(Cl- 33 This invention relates to larnp holders for fluorescent lamps and more particularly to weatherproof sealing means for such lamp Lholders. i

An object of the invention is to provide aweatherproof seal between a fluorescent lamp holder ,and a tubular lamp mounted therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluorescent tube with a weatherproof seal between the holder and the tube.

Another object of the invention is to provide sealing means, comprising an elastic boot mounted on a fluorescent lamp holder to be engaged and compressed by the end portion of the lamp toifprm a seal between the lamp and the holder.

Another object of the invention is to provide sealing means according to the preceding paragraphs which is adapted to receive and effectively seal fluorescent lamps of various sizes.

The invention, both as to structure and operation, 'together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of several embodiments thereof when read -in conjunction with ,the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings:

FIGURE 11 is an elevational view partly in section of a fluorescent lamp holder with the sealing means mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 'is a view similar to FIG, 1 but showing the vend portionofa fluorescent lamp in pos min the holder.

'3 is an elevational view par y in section .of a fluoreseentllamp holder with a somewhatdifferent sealing member thereon.

FIG. 4 is a view similar :to FIG, 3 {but showing the end portion of afluorescent tube in position in the holder. According to the modifications of theinvention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a holder indicated generally at 11, comprises a base or mounting portion 13 and a tubular portion 15 thereon having an axial bore 17 therein for receiving a contact carrying plunger 19. The plunger 19 is slidable in the bore 17 and is biased outwardly by a current carrying compression spring 21 which may be connected in a suitable manner to an external circuit. The contact plunger or carrier 19 may be hollow for receiving the outer end of the spring 21 and is provided with one or more axial openings (not shown) in its closed outer end for receiving the contact or contacts 23 on the base 25 of the lamp 27 to permit engagement thereof either with the outer end of the spring 21 or with a separate contact or contacts which may be held in place by the spring 21.

While a lampholder of the retractible plunger type is illustrated herein, it should be understood that the invention is additionally adapted for use with a non-retractible type of lampholder, as is common in the art for supporting a fluorescent lamp.

Mounted on the outer end of the tubular portion 15 of the holder is a bellows-shaped boot 29 of a suitable flexible and resilient material, such as rubber or neoprene. The boot 29' is provided with an outwardly extending flange 31 which is mounted by means of screws 33 and a retaining ring 35 on the end of the tubular portion 15. The screws 33 also secure a fiber ring 37 and a contact 3,005,971 Patented Oct. 24, 19161 2 plunger retaining ring 39 between the flange 31 and the end of the tubular portion 15. The retaining ring '39 is adapted to be engaged by a projection 41 on the contact carrier 19 which may be received in a longitudinal slot (not shown) in base '13 to retain the latter in the bore 17 of the holder.

The sealing boot 29 is provided with an annular outwardly reentrant portion 43, and an outwardly flared outer end opening 45 for receiving the base of a fluorescent tube. As shown in 'FIG. 1, the parts are in approximately the position they assume when a fluorescent tube is inserted into the boot 29 and the rounded edge 47 of the tube base 25 first engages the flared opening 45 of the boot to form a seal. This may occur 'prior to engagement of the lamp 'base 25 with the outer end of the plunger as shown in FIG. *1 and in the case of a nonretractible type of lampholder should occur in this sequence. When the tube 27 is moved inwardly to its final position where the lamp base 25 engages the outer end of the plunger 19' and the terminals 23 are in engagement with the plunger contacts, and perhaps even beyond this position to that shown in FIG. 2 where the contact 23 is fully inserted into the contact plunger 19 and the latter is moved inwardly compressing the spring 21, the boot 29 is compressed in the manner of a bellows .thus increasing the pressure between the flared portion 45 of the boot and the edge of {the tube base 25 which increases the tightness of the seal.

When the fluorescent tube is removed the boot 29 resumes the position shown in FIG. 1 in readiness to receive another tube and to efiect its sealing contact there- .with.

FIG. 3 and 4 illustrate a modification of the sealing boot in which the mounting flange of the boot extends inwardly and the ,flared vopening portion is longer to receive and seal tubes of various diameters. The parts of the holder 11 are the same as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and have 'be en given the same reference numerals.

As illustrated in FIGS. "3 and 4 a boot 49 is vprovided with an inwardly extending mounting flange 51 which is secured to the end of the tubular portion 15 of the holder in the same manner and by the same parts as previously described for the boot 29 of FIGS. 1 and '2. The boot 49 has an intermediate reentrant portion 53 which is adapted to-fold as shown in FIG. 4 when a tube is inserted in the holder. The boot 49 is also provided with a long outwardly flared portion 55 forming an opening for receiving the base of fluorescent tubes of various sizes. The reference numerals 5 7 and 59 of FIG. 3 and 61 of FIG. 4 represent the bases of fluorescent tubes of different diameters. When a tube having a diameter of approximately that of 57 or 59 or having an intermediate diameter is mounted in the boot 49, the rounded edge of the tube base engages the inner surface of the flared portion 55 and compresses the boot substantially as shown in FIG. 4 causing the portion 53- of the boot to flex and increase the sealing pressure between the boot and the tube.

The invention provides a fluorescent tube or lamp holder having flexible sealing means thereon for engaging the end of a fluorescent tube in a manner to effect a weatherproof seal between the tube and holder in which the sealing pressure is increased as the tube is moved into the holder.

While the invention has been disclosed in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the structural details thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claimas my invention:

1. A lamp holder comprising a base, a portion on said base having an opening therein, a biased contact plunger slidable in said opening for receiving at least one lamp terminal, a tubular flexible and resilient sealing member on said portion of said base in alignment with said opening, an outwardly flared end portion on said sealing member of a size for engaging a disc-like end portion of a lamp to form a seal therewith, and the inward face of said flared portion imposing forces. axially and laterally inwardly of itself against said lamp end portion to effect said seal.

2. A lamp holder comprising a base, a portion on said base having an opening therein, a biased contact plunger movable in said opening for receiving at least one terminal of a lamp, a tubular resilient sealing member on said portion on said base having a mounting flange at one end for sealingly securing said sealing member to said portion on said base in alignment with said opening, an outwardly flared portion at the opposite end of said sealing member, said flared portion being sized to form a seal with any one of variously but lesser sized disc-like lamp end portions prior to full engagement of said lamp end portion with said plunger, the inward face of said flared portion imposing forces axially and laterally inwardly of itself against said lamp end portion to effect said seal, and said sealing member being formed adjacent said flared portion to be compressed when said lamp end portion is positioned in said holder thereby to increase the sealing pressure.

3. A lamp holder comprising a base, a portion on said base having means for receiving at least one terminal of a disc-like end portion of a lamp, a resilient tubular sealing member being sealingly mounted on said portion on said base in alignment therewith, an outwardly flared outer end portion on said sealing member for engaging and for forming a seal with said lamp end portion prior to full engagement of the lamp end portion with said portion of the base, the inward face of said flared portion imposing forces axially and laterally inwardly of itself against said lamp end portion to efiect said seal, and said resilient sealing member when said lamp end portion is positioned in said holder having another portion being axially compressed to increase the sealing pressure of said sealing member against said lamp end.

4. A lamp holding arrangement including supporting means for contact means to be engaged by terminal means on a disc-like lamp end portion, a flexible and resilient sleeve being sealingly mounted on said supporting means adjacent one end thereof and having a generally laterally outwardly flared outer end portion spaced from said supporting means to form a seal with said lamp end portion and the inward face of said flared portion imposing forces axially and laterally inwardly of itself against said lamp end portion to effect said seal.

5. A lamp holding arrangement including supporting means for contact means to be engaged by terminal means on a disc-like lamp end portion, a flexible and resilient sleeve being sealingly mounted on said supporting means adjacent one end thereof and having a generally outwardly flared outer end portion spaced from said supporting means to form a seal with said lamp end portion and to be engaged by the lamp end portion prior to full engagement of the latter by said supporting means and having a compressible intermediate portion to increase the sealing pressure of said outer portion against said lamp end portion when the latter is inserted for full engagement with said supporting means, and the inward face of said flared portion imposing forces axially and laterally inwardly of itself against said lamp end portion to effect said seal.

6. An arrangement for weatherproofing a lamp having a disc-like end portion, said arrangement comprising at least one insulating base, means being included in said base for generally supporting and for conductively energizing said lamp, and resilient means being sealingly mounted on said base for engaging said disc-like lamp portion which is located adjacently of said base when said lamp is supported relative to said base, said resilient means including a tubular outwardly flared portion having its inner side imposing forces laterally inwardly and longitudinally of said lamp end portion to provide a weatherproofing seal for the energizing path through said base to said lamp.

References Cited in the file of this patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Frensch Dec. 18, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS V5590 V111 c/2lf Germany ....Oct.31,1956 696,914 Great Britain Sept. 9,, 1953 

